Howard Eugene Porter – Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary report

Colonel Howard Porter, a member of the class of 1957, died following complications of Alzheimer’s Disease, at Loudoun County Hospital, Leesburg, Virginia 20 September 2001. He was 83 years old.

Colonel Porter, a native of Chesterfield, South Carolina, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in Civil Engineering and Geology from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

During his 32 year Army career, he was involved in five major World War II campaigns, serving as commanding officer of the 97th and 56th Signal Battalions during the combat and occupation of Europe from 1943 to 1946, including the invasion of Normandy, liberation of Paris, the first invasion into Germany and the capture of Leipzig. His unit was one of the first of the western allies to meet the Russians at Torgau.

During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Colonel Porter served as the Senior U.S. Military Advisor to the Army Chief Signal Officers of the governments of Nationalist China and South Vietnam respectively. Other assignments included senior officer for NATO tactical military communications systems for central Europe, and duty at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; he contributed to the establishment of the U.S. Satellite Communications Agency.

Upon his retirement from the Army in 1972, Colonel Porter served with the Defense Communications Agency as Liaison to Congress coordinating Congressional Budget submissions.

His Military decorations included the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (2 awards), Bronze Star, (2 awards), the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. His civilian awards included the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Colonel Porter was a longtime resident of Vienna, Virginia where he was a member of Andrew Chapel Methodist Church and Westwood Country Club. He owned and operated Porter’s Christmas Tree Farm in Vienna and was a member of the Beekeepers andChristmas Tree Growers Association. His wife of 42 years (Stana)  ied in 1988, his son (Paul) in 1990, and his sister (Agnes) died in January 2001. Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Ann W. Porter, and a son, Michael E. Porter, Ph.D., 6 stepchildren, five grandchildren and several step-grandchildren.

Services were held on 16 October 2001 at For. Myer Chapel followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard